Method of preparation

For the filling:1. Cut the tomato, onion and pepper into small pieces and place in a frying pan. Start preparing the sauce, stirring constantly. Then add the crushed garlic and a pinch of paprika or natural colouring.2. Add the meat, season and stir slowly, gradually separating so that it comes loose. Add the diced potato and a glass of water. Leave to cook for 12-15 minutes until the potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and leave to cool.For the pastry:3. Boil 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Gradually add hot water to the flour, mixing it carefully, and knead until the dough is even with a soft and malleable consistency. If it is too floury and breaks apart easily, gradually and very carefully add a little hot water until the ideal consistency is reached. 4. Take a little dough and roll it out to a thickness of about 2 or 3 millimetres. Add a little filling to the centre of the dough and fold the dough over the filling so that it is completely covered. Cut the dough into circles using a medium-sized round container. 5. In a pan, heat a generous amount of vegetable oil or olive oil and fry the empanadas (patties) on both sides until the dough is crispy and golden. You can also add flavour with salsa, guacamole or even tartare sauce.

For the “Aji Colombiano”6. Peel and chop the tomato, onion and coriander (cilantro), and mix. Crush the cayenne chilli in a mortar with a little salt and add to the mixture. Put this in a bowl and then add oil and lime juice. Season to taste.

Tips

The chilli can change slightly by adding avocado to the sauce. If the dough breaks apart when making the empanadas remember to add water little by little whilst kneading to make it smoother.